|
i think a lot of it depends on how many kids are in the neighborhood that are his age. is it an issue of there not being anybody else to play with or is it an issue of whose company he is choosing to keep?
i think that you should only be mildly concerned. perhaps the best thing to do is encourage this boy to get involved with a club or activity that gets him away from the neighborhood. soon enough, he'll be in high school and be pushed more towards acting his age. middle school can be a rather daunting challenge. some kids react by pushing forward; it appears that perhaps he is holding back. i certainly wouldn't call it "normal" behavior, but i would say that it shouldn't be terribly disconcerting.
if he still continues to hang out with the other kids, encourage him to hang out more with the 8 yr old children and not the younger ones. a five year gap isn't that bad. (my sister and i are five years apart and we only had each other and the girl next door who is 10 years older than me to play with)
i hope that you can work this out happily!
|